A fierce backlash from environmental activists erupted this week after former New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce cleared a major hurdle toward leading one of the most powerful land agencies in the country.
The U.S. Senate voted 46–45 on Monday to advance Pearce’s nomination to head the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), putting him on track for final confirmation in the coming days. The procedural vote moves Pearce one step closer to overseeing roughly 245 million acres of federal land nationwide — including more than 13 million acres in New Mexico.
The advancement immediately triggered outrage from left-wing environmental groups, who have long opposed Pearce due to his record supporting energy development and pushing back against federal land restrictions.
Pearce, who represented New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District from 2003 to 2009 and again from 2011 to 2019 and later chaired the state Republican Party, has been a consistent advocate for domestic energy production and local control of land use. Before entering Congress, he founded an oil and gas company in southern New Mexico — experience that supporters say makes him uniquely qualified to manage public lands tied to energy, grazing, and economic activity.
But leftists are openly furious.
“The test of a BLM director is whether they will steward public lands for the benefit of all Americans,” said Dan Ritzman of the Sierra Club. “Steve Pearce has consistently failed that test… he thinks the primary benefits of our natural heritage should go to corporations and billionaires and not the American people.”
Pearce’s nomination comes as President Donald Trump moves aggressively to expand domestic energy production and roll back federal land restrictions that have limited development. The administration has already begun undoing policies from prior years, including the recent cancellation of the so-called “Public Land Rule,” which required equal weighting between conservation and resource extraction.
That shift signals a broader policy direction — one that Pearce would help implement if confirmed.
Democrats, including New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, have also voiced opposition, pointing to Pearce’s past support for reducing national monument designations and opening federal lands to development.
Heinrich said he “cannot ignore” Pearce’s record, arguing it “remain[s] in the memory of every New Mexican who faced his opposition in order to protect the lands they cherish.”
Still, despite the backlash, Pearce’s nomination is moving forward — and likely headed toward approval.
The Senate bundled his advancement with dozens of other nominees in a single vote, part of a streamlined process that confused some media outlets and activists, who prematurely claimed Pearce had already been confirmed. A final confirmation vote is expected soon.
Even some Democrats acknowledge the path ahead is clear.
A spokesperson for Sen. Ben Ray Luján indicated Pearce’s confirmation will “most likely” come through the same en bloc voting process used to advance his nomination.
Meanwhile, the reaction from activist groups underscores just how high the stakes are.
Pearce has been labeled “one of the most contentious nominees” in the package by left-wingers — not because of a lack of qualifications, but because of what his leadership represents: a shift away from federal land grabs and toward expanded use for energy, agriculture, and economic growth.
I’m a conservative but I don’t want to see our public lands used for resources extraction. The greatest thing about America is our public lands. “Conservation” should be a recognized use of public lands. Where will we go to get away from development and pollution, if our public lands are turned over to the extractive industries? And what about the wildlife that was living on the continent for millennia before the first humans came here? They have a right to space and clean land.
We use the public lands now and have been using them since they were set aside. BLM has a website, and you can get on it to find out what they do. It is always a good idea to become informed, so you won’t have to be paranoid.
And you believe the acres of solar & wind farms are not ruining the land? Every time I drive north from Roswell I’m infuriated by the blight everywhere. And those decimate not only the land, but everything else for animals, birds, bats, insects, etc.
Cindi you are absolutely right.
What is worse, thousands of acres of solar panels called farms and giant propellers spinning in our landscape or a pumpjack on a 10 acre tract? Heinrich is a 2 face disgrace!
I am conservative, and I wholeheartedly agree. These lands are our national treasure.
The BLM are doing aerial round-ups of wild horses as we speak. Horses that have been here for 500 years when the Spaniards reintroduced them. There are even Indian petroglyphs of horses that predate the 1500s.
Just in Callaghan, California, in one month, they rounded up 2,000 Wild Horses! There are now more Wild Horses in BLM holding pens than are free roaming. The physical, and emotional trauma as they terrorize these horses for many miles in 100 degree heat is horrible. The pregnant mares miscarry and foals are injured. The old horses can’t make it. They get a severe form of PTSD and Capture Myopathy.
Capture Myopathy:
Wild horses during roundups most commonly suffer from exertional rhabdomyolysis, a form of severe muscle damage frequently called “tying-up” or capture myopathy.
Exertional Rhabdomyolysis (Tying-Up). What it is: Muscle breakdown triggered by extreme, unaccustomed physical exertion and psychological stress, such as being chased by helicopters or motorized vehicles during roundups.
How it happens: Intense muscular activity depletes energy supplies in the muscle cells. This causes calcium regulation to fail, leading to severe cramping, cellular death (necrosis), and the breakdown of muscle tissue.
Signs: Stiff gait, reluctance or refusal to move, painful and hard back or hindquarter muscles, heavy sweating, rapid breathing, and dark brown or red urine caused by damaged muscle proteins (myoglobin) filtering through the kidneys.
Capture Myopathy What it is:
A severe, often fatal metabolic condition brought on by the profound stress, fear, and overexertion associated with capture, restraint, or transport of wild animals.
How it happens: The massive surge of adrenaline and frantic running causes extreme lactic acid buildup, electrolyte imbalances, and cardiovascular failure.
Signs: Extreme lethargy, muscle tremors, unsteady movement, paralysis, or sudden death hours to days after the roundup event due to heart failure or kidney damage.
All this so cattle ranchers can have land for their cattle to graze, and we can drill for oil, and have data centers.
There is enough land for the horses and the cattle. But the cattle are non-native and destroy the land. The cattle rip up grasses by the roots and stay in one place trampling the land, and because they’re ruminants, their excrement does nothing. Whereas wild horses are actual fire mitigators, and land replenishers. They eat as they roam many miles per day and graze by cutting the grass with their sharp teeth and leave it to grow. They also eat, not just grass but pick off shrubs and trees also. Then they excrete the seeds, and the land replinishes. They are very sensitive animals and have strong family units. Have you ever heard of Therapy Horses? They have the ability of regulating someone’s heart, who needs the help, and release their stressors, just by being close to them. It’s a scientific fact. So when they get rounded up and the family units are separated it is devastating for them.
This needs to stop. The BLM will say they’re doing it because they’re overpopulated and not healthy. This is untrue. Don’t believe anything the BLM says.
I understand and agree about national security and the need for domestic drilling, we just need to be smart about it, and buy land rather than cut into our national parks.
Ask Sen Heindick who pushed the Sun Zia project right thru Valencia county and right thru the Sevilleta wildlife refuge to get power to California not one volt helped out New Mexicans. TALK ABOUT PROTECTING THE LANDS WE CHERISH………………
The federal government owns most of our land. It has to stop.
We the People are the federal government.
Congratulations Steve Pearce
Bout time! Congrats Steve!!!
NM is the fifth largest state, I believe that there is plenty of room for people, jobs, gas and oil, open space and conservation. God is the author of climate, population, and nature. Be fruitful and multiply was not a suggestion, worship the creator not creation.
@CTT You’re ignorant. Size has nothing to do with resource availability. If you can’t understand that, go back to where you came from.
Gabe Vasquez must be furious; he’ll no doubt, campaign on this issue.
When I lived in Arizona the sierra club fought for parts I’d the lake Mead are off limits to the public. Then it was discovered the public was kept out but the sierra club members were using that are for their own personal use.
Pearce appears to offer wise stewardship for the common good, both local and national. Expect he would work well with equally-capable Michael Perry as NM Land Commissioner — Please vote, neighbors!
Liberals think BLM is Black Lives Matter. Boy, will they be mad about Pearce.
I always voted for Steve Piss for House until he started running radio ads in Gallup bragging about some federal program he authored which paid for the Navajo’s to learn their native language. I don’t care if they want to learn Swahili, Navajo, or any other language but I don’t want to pay for it. Steve Piss is just another Uniparty phony
Pearce has got to be better than the one sitting in there now.. AND any one who gets badmouthed by Hiney-lick or little Benny-boy Loserjan has to be right for the job!!
I see a lot of comments from a lot of transplants; those of us who actually have roots in this state should be wary and also supportive of any politician who has any involvement in overseeing our water and agricultural resources. Steve has a history of doing well by New Mexico’s farm and ranch community; let’s hope his record is a marker of how he’ll act.